Course price: $399.99
Access: 30 months from purchase
CME: Up to 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME through the PANRE Clinical Review Module
Study material: 2,500+ PANRE practice questions, including five full-length 240-question practice exams
Gift card options: Optional paid Amazon or Apple Gift Card add-ons from $100 to $1,500
If you are planning PANRE or PANRE-LA preparation, the type and amount of CME you complete matters. A course may provide useful clinical education without satisfying your Category 1 requirement. Before using your CME allowance, confirm the accreditation designation, number of credits, completion requirements, and whether the activity fits your current NCCPA certification cycle.
The PANRE Review Course from CME Review Courses combines recertification preparation with up to 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME. The 100 hours apply specifically to the PANRE Clinical Review Module, not automatically to other products such as the separate Pharmacology Review Course.
What AAPA Category 1 CME Means
AAPA Category 1 CME is formally reviewed educational activity intended to maintain or improve the knowledge, skills, and professional performance used in PA practice. The content should be relevant to patient care, healthcare systems, or the PA profession.
Category 1 CME is not simply any medical education you complete. The activity must have an identified credit designation and defined requirements for participation and completion.
For a self-assessment activity, requirements may include:
- Multiple-choice questions
- Explanations or rationales for the answers
- References supporting the educational content
- A graded post-test
- A minimum passing score
- An evaluation completed by the learner
- Documentation of the credit awarded
For the PANRE Review Course, you must complete the course requirements, pass the post-test with a score of at least 70%, and complete the activity evaluation. Claim only the credit amount supported by your actual participation.
Review the AAPA CME FAQs and NCCPA continuing medical education requirements for current policies.
How Category 1 CME Applies to Recertification
For a PA who remains continuously certified, NCCPA generally requires:
- 100 total CME credits during each two-year cycle
- At least 50 Category 1 CME credits
- The remaining credits may be Category 1, Category 2, or a combination
- Completion of the applicable recertification examination requirement during the certification cycle
This means that 100 hours of accepted Category 1 CME can satisfy the total credit quantity for a routine two-year CME cycle, provided the activity is completed during the appropriate period and meets NCCPA requirements. It does not replace PANRE or PANRE-LA when an examination or longitudinal assessment is due.
The requirement is different for some PAs regaining certification after a lapse. NCCPA may require 100 Category 1 CME credits earned within the two-year period ending on the PANRE application date. If your certification has expired, review the specific NCCPA policy for regaining certification.
The practical point is simple: do not assume that every PA has the same CME requirement. Check your certification status, cycle dates, and NCCPA account before deciding how many credits you need.
What the PANRE Review Course Includes
The PANRE Review Course is designed for practicing PAs preparing for traditional PANRE or PANRE-LA. It includes:
- More than 2,500 board-style questions
- Five full-length practice examinations
- 240 questions per full-length exam
- 1,200 questions across the five exams
- Questions covering the major organ systems and task areas in the NCCPA Blueprint
- Detailed rationales and cited sources
- A complete PANRE Study Library
- Performance tracking and question flagging
- 30 months of online access
The format supports several study approaches. You can begin with a full-length examination to establish a baseline, complete system-based modules to address knowledge gaps, and then return to full-length testing to assess pacing and endurance.
A comprehensive panre review course is particularly useful if your clinical practice is concentrated in one specialty. PANRE preparation requires broad review across cardiovascular, pulmonary, GI, endocrine, infectious disease, neurology, psychiatry, dermatology, musculoskeletal, reproductive, renal, hematologic, EENT, genitourinary, and professional practice content.
The 100 Hours Apply to the PANRE Review Course Specifically
The course’s 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME apply to the PANRE Clinical Review Module. They should not be attributed to every course offered by CME Review Courses.
For example, the Pharmacology Review Course has its own credit designation and should be evaluated separately. If you purchase multiple courses, document the credit amount assigned to each activity rather than combining them without supporting documentation.
The current PANRE Clinical Review Module is listed under AAPA reference number CME-2016187, with approval valid from August 26, 2026, through August 26, 2027. Verify current approval information on the product page before beginning an activity.
How CME Gift Cards Work
CME Review Courses offers optional cme gift cards through Amazon and Apple. Available add-on amounts range from $100 to $1,500.
These gift cards are paid add-ons, not free gifts. The selected amount is added to the base course price.
Examples include:
- Course only: $399.99
- Course plus $100 gift card: $499.99
- Course plus $500 gift card: $899.99
- Course plus $1,000 gift card: $1,399.99
- Course plus $1,500 gift card: $1,899.99
The add-on does not increase the number of CME credits. The PANRE Review Course provides the up to 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME. The gift card is a separate paid component of the purchase.
Before selecting an add-on, confirm that your employer or institution permits this type of bundled CME purchase. Policies may differ regarding online review courses, board-preparation materials, gift card add-ons, and the maximum amount reimbursed.
Amazon and Apple gift cards are processed by email, generally within two to three business days. Gift card packages are nonrefundable after issuance. CME Review Courses is not affiliated with or sponsored by Amazon or Apple.
Clinical Practice Question
Vignette
Your patient is a 63-year-old man who is two days postoperative from total knee arthroplasty. He develops sudden dyspnea and pleuritic right-sided chest pain. His HR is 114/min, BP is 126/78 mm Hg, RR is 25/min, and SaO₂ is 90% on room air. Examination demonstrates unilateral left calf swelling and tenderness. He is alert and hemodynamically stable. There is no history of renal disease or contrast allergy.
Which diagnostic study is most appropriate next?
A. D-dimer assay
B. CT pulmonary angiography
C. Bilateral lower-extremity venous ultrasound only
D. Exercise stress testing
E. Transthoracic echocardiography as the first test
Correct answer: B. CT pulmonary angiography.
This patient has a high pretest probability for acute pulmonary embolism based on recent surgery, tachycardia, hypoxemia, pleuritic chest pain, and unilateral leg findings. Because he is stable and has no stated contraindication to iodinated contrast, CT pulmonary angiography is the preferred next diagnostic study.
D-dimer testing is less useful when the clinical probability is high and is commonly elevated after surgery. Lower-extremity ultrasound may identify DVT but does not directly evaluate the pulmonary vasculature. Echocardiography is useful for assessing right-heart strain, particularly in an unstable patient, but it is not the preferred initial confirmatory study here. Stress testing is inappropriate in an acute presentation concerning for PE.
The management principle is to establish pretest probability, assess hemodynamic stability, and select the diagnostic test that provides the most useful information without unnecessary delay, cost, or radiation exposure.
Who Should Consider This Course?
The PANRE Review Course is intended primarily for physician assistants who need broad recertification preparation and Category 1 CME.
Nurse practitioners may find the clinical material useful, but acceptance of AAPA Category 1 credit varies by state board, employer, and certifying organization. NPs should verify requirements with their state board of nursing before purchasing.
Physicians may also find value in the clinical content. However, AAPA Category 1 credit does not automatically fulfill a physician’s Category 1 CME requirement. Physicians should confirm whether the activity can be reported under their applicable CME rules.
The course may be appropriate if you need:
- A broad review of the current NCCPA Blueprint
- Structured PANRE or PANRE-LA preparation
- A substantial amount of Category 1 CME
- Full-length practice examinations
- Long-term access for a demanding clinical schedule
- A way to use an approved CME allowance for education and an optional paid add-on
PANCE Prep Courses and PAtopia
If you are a PA student rather than a practicing PA preparing for recertification, you may need PANCE prep courses instead of a PANRE review product.
PAtopia is a separate PA exam-preparation platform covering the PANCE, PACKRAT, End of Curriculum examination, and all seven EOR exams. It includes board-style questions, study libraries, full-length practice exams, explanations, and cited references.
PAtopia is available through:
PAtopia is separate from the PANRE Review Course and does not provide the 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME discussed in this article.
Final CME Checklist
Before purchasing a CME course, confirm:
- The exact Category 1 designation
- The number of credits available
- Whether the activity falls within your CME cycle
- The post-test and evaluation requirements
- Whether your employer accepts the activity
- Whether a paid gift card add-on is permitted
- Whether the product is designed for PANRE, PANRE-LA, PANCE, or another exam
The PANRE Review Course is $399.99, includes 30 months of access, provides 2,500+ practice questions, and offers up to 100 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME through the PANRE Clinical Review Module. Optional Amazon and Apple gift card add-ons from $100 to $1,500 are paid additions to the package price and do not create additional CME credit.
Review the PANRE Review Course with Gift Card options or browse CME Review Courses.
Author Box
Jeremy Boroff, MPAS, PA-C
Jeremy Boroff is a physician assistant with 24 years of Emergency Medicine experience. He is an educator, author, CME developer, and founder of CME Review Courses. His clinical review materials emphasize practical decision-making, board-style clinical vignettes, evidence-informed explanations, and efficient preparation for PA certification and recertification examinations.
Educational requirements and credit acceptance can change. Verify current requirements with AAPA, NCCPA, your employer, state licensing board, or certifying organization before claiming CME or using CME funds.